Official Breed Standard of the
Kennel Union of South Africa
AUSTRALIAN CATTLE DOG
GENERAL APPEARANCE
Strong, compact, symmetrical, with substance, power and balance. Hard
muscular condition conveys agility, strength and endurance. Grossness
or weediness undesirable.
CHARACTERISTICS
Ability to control and move cattle in all environments. Loyal, protective.
Guardian of stockmen, herd and property. Naturally suspicious of strangers
but amenable to handling. Biddable.
TEMPERAMENT
Alert, intelligent, watchful, courageous, trustworthy, devoted to
its work.
HEAD AND SKULL
Strong, in balance with body and general conformation. Skull broad
and slightly curved between ears, flattening to slight but definite
stop. Cheeks muscular but not coarse or prominent. Strong under-jaw,
deep and well developed. Broad foreface, well filled in under eyes,
tapers gradually down medium length muzzle which is parallel to skull.
Nose always black.
EYES
Medium, oval, alert and intelligent, dark brown. Neither prominent
nor sunken. Warning suspicious glint is characteristic.
EARS
Moderate, small rather than large. Broad at base, muscular, pricked
and moderately pointed. Oval or bat-eared undesirable. Set wide apart
inclining outwards. Sensitive, pricked when alert. Leather thick in
texture and inside ear well furnished with hair.
MOUTH
Lips tight and clean. Jaws strong, with a perfect, regular and complete
scissor bite i.e. upper teeth closely overlapping lower teeth and
set square to the jaws.
NECK
Exceptionally strong, muscular, of medium length blending into body.
Free from throatiness.
FOREQUARTERS
Strong, sloping shoulders well laid back, not too closely set at withers.
Strong, round bone, legs straight when viewed from front, pasterns
flexible and slightly sloping when viewed from side. Loaded shoulder
and heavy front undesirable.
